


Smile

by Captain_Hughes_ZU



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-09
Updated: 2015-06-09
Packaged: 2018-04-03 14:42:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,526
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4104639
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Captain_Hughes_ZU/pseuds/Captain_Hughes_ZU
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's raining, and two strangers find themselves outside a cafe with no umbrellas.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Smile

**Author's Note:**

  * For [sohma](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sohma/gifts).



Asahi Azumane had a shaky relationship with rain.

On one hand, it had that picturesque cosiness about it, that ‘curl up with a book in front of the fire’ vibe and romantic city haze. People huddled underneath their individual umbrellas, dry bubbles of space within the falling water. Under each umbrella was a world, a space reserved especially for the owner. It was quite a nice concept.

But on the other hand, you could forget your umbrella. You could be caught dashing through the rain, blinded by it pelting against your eyes and soaking into your clothing. This was twice as bad if you were a nervous soul looking not to bother anyone but finding yourself trapped in an inconveniently tall body which was all too easy to accidentally bump into people with.

Today was a day when Asahi had been unlucky enough to leave his umbrella in his studio desk drawer as he’d left and been forced to sprint his way through the bustling city from shelter to shelter in a valiant but useless attempt to prevent the rain from permeating his long, olive coat and soaking the T-shirt and jeans underneath.

It was a badly thought out choice of clothing on his behalf, but there was no time for regrets now. The way things were going, he’d be lucky not to catch a cold after this whole ordeal was over. The air had already been brisk, but a sharp breeze was beginning to pick up and Asahi’s nose was about ready to freeze off.

 _What a great day to not even bring a scarf!_ He scolded himself mentally as he found himself apologising to yet another city-goer he’d managed to almost bowl over in his haste to reach the next dry spot. He sighed and pressed back underneath a protruding café roof, dejectedly noticing the water had begun to infiltrate his thick jacket. _This situation could actually not get any worse if I tried._

“Excuse me! Coming through! Like seriously, am I invisible?”

A loud voice broke out above the buzz of the city street, prompting Asahi’s attention off the road and towards the source.

A young man shoved his way out of the throng of people and into the shelter next to Asahi, looking ruffled and soggy. He folded his arms and blew out his cheeks in a sigh. “Geez! What’s with people, am I right?”

It took Asahi a second to figure out that the question was aimed at him and he gave a start, replying, “Oh, uh, yeah. The sidewalk can be fierce…”

Impressed and puzzled by how easily and informally he’d spoken to a complete stranger, Asahi found himself staring at his fellow shelter-hopper. He was awfully small, probably the reason he’d had trouble fighting his way through the street. His hair was spiked in a way Asahi could only assume was to add to his height, but it had begun to droop with a smattering of raindrops. What was most startling was his clothing choice – a pair of shorts and T-shirt, with a soggy woollen scarf and worn fingerless gloves.

“Can’t see you having much problem with it though. You’re so tall, everyone probably sees you coming from the other end of the street!” the newcomer continued, watching the crowds. “The only upside for me on a day like this is that I sometimes fit under other people’s umbrellas…”

They didn’t say anything for a while and eventually Asahi worked up the nerve to ask about the young man’s clothing choices.

“Um, why are you wearing shorts, if you don’t mind me asking?” he managed, meeting the stranger’s eyes for the first time. They were startlingly intense.

“Oh, I was at the gym,” he explained simply. “Also, I like shorts. Easier to move in.”

“It’s got to be chilly, hasn’t it?” Asahi asked, a little concerned now.

“Well, yeah.” He flashed a grin. “But we sacrifice a lot in the pursuit of coolness.”

“You should at least put on a jacket, then,” suggested the taller man.

“Oh, I had a jacket. I just left it somewhere.”

Asahi stared, because this person needed a diary or an assistant or a nanny or _something_ , because he was going to be the death of himself if he wasn’t careful.

“The name is Yuu Nishinoya.” The young man introduced himself with a smile, tossing a gesture at the café they were huddled in front of. “What do you say we grab something to drink? You look like you need it.”

“Um, sure. I could use something warm.” Asahi acknowledged that he was indeed freezing, but didn’t bother pointing out that his new acquaintance, Nishinoya, looked like his skin was on the verge of turning blue.

That was how the two of them came to be sharing a table inside the small café, eyeing up the menu and rubbing their hands, grateful to be out of the cold and wet. It was a nice enough place, with checked tablecloths and chalkboards featuring daily specials.

“I think I’ll have a hot chocolate,” decided Nishinoya, rubbing his chin thoughtfully and removing his scarf as Asahi shrugged off his soaking coat. “Oh, and a pancake. I’m kinda hungry.”

At this point, Asahi wasn’t surprised by the young man’s childish taste. “I’ll just get a cappuccino or something .”

“Cool.”

After both ordering and paying for just that, Nishinoya struck up a conversation once again. “So, I never got your name.”

“Oh, sorry. It’s Asahi. Asahi Azumane.”

“Neat!” Nishinoya gave that bright smile again, and Asahi couldn’t help but smile back when he saw the way his whole face lit up with the grin. “Well then Asahi Azumane, who are you?”

“Wh-who am I?”

“Yup. Who are you? What do you do?”

Asahi blinked, surprised by the forward way Nishinoya stated his questions. “Um, well, I’m a photographer,” he started, letting his fingers fidget with the tablecloth. “I work a couple of blocks away. And the only thing I seem to be doing today is leaving my umbrella there.”

Nishinoya laughed, sending an odd tingle of nervous energy across Asahi’s chest. “I see! I guess it’s only fair that I tell you my side then. ” He cleared his throat, taking a deep breath as if he were about to begin an epic tale about slaying a dragon or the like.

Asahi tracked the movements of Nishinoya’s hands as he spoke, smiling again as the young man’s enthusiasm caught him.

“There I was!” he proclaimed, sweeping an arm around the room. “Just about to break free from the merciless bonds of mandatory education, standing strong at my high school graduation! I thought I was safe. I thought I’d been liberated! But no…” He looked down and shook his head sadly. “I was wrong.”

“How’s that?” asked Asahi, flinching a little as Nishinoya’s wild eyes met his with a look of theatrical offense.

“As soon as I was out of there, I was forced back into the books,” he explained sorrowfully. Blowing out his chest and screwing up his nose in what Asahi could only guess was supposed to be an impression of his father, he said, “My dad told me, ‘Yuu! You’re a sensible young man! Your mother and I are very proud. But you’ll never make it in this world if you don’t go to college! Even a fourth rate one is fine!’ And that’s how I ended up in college.”

“Is that so?” Asahi looked up, spotting a waiter bringing over their drinks and Nishinoya’s pancake.

Nishinoya nodded. “Yeah. If it weren’t for my dad, I’d be long done with school. Probably out of the country. But you know how it is. Parents only want what’s best for you and all.”

Asahi nodded in reply as the waiter set down their orders.

They chatted for a while as they ate and drank, grateful for the warmth that was beginning to seep its way back into their systems. Asahi hadn’t known Nishinoya for very long, but he found himself compelled to get to know him. He was so cheerful and outgoing, almost a complete contrast to everything Asahi was. The young man was cool and confident, just like what he wanted to be.

And pretty good-looking too.

Asahi was unlucky to have been struck by that particular thought right in a lull in the conversation, where Nishinoya happened to be staring right back at him as he sipped his hot chocolate. “What? Is there pancake on my face?”

“Oh, no, there isn’t!” blabbered Asahi, shooting his gaze across the restaurant as blood rushed to his face. He blushed terribly, he was sure if it. Someone in high school had made fun of his ears turning red. The thought of that embarrassing moment during a class presentation sent him spiralling even further into his mess and he knew his stupid blushing ears would be bright pink now.

Nishinoya blinked as Asahi shrunk back in his seat and tugged his long hair out of his messy bun and over his ears. “Hey, you look kind of flushed. You didn’t catch a cold out there, did you?”

“N-no, it’s a…medical condition,” Asahi lied, screwing his eyes shut. “Or something.”

“Really?” Suddenly Nishinoya’s voice was close, right by Asahi’s face. His eyes shot open at the contact of a warm hand on his forehead. “You sure look red, don’tcha?”

Asahi made a strange squawking noise he would later kick himself over and jumped upwards, smacking his knees into the table Nishinoya was leaning over. The wooden surface flew upwards, sending coffee into the air and onto Nishinoya’s stomach.

 _You’ve only just met me and yet you’re fine to lean over a table and grab my face?!_ Asahi thought in a flurry as Nishinoya recoiled from the hot liquid.

“Holy—” He caught himself as a curse almost slipped out and before Asahi knew what was going on Nishinoya had pulled his shirt off in the middle of the café and was hastily wiping coffee off his stomach. “Hot! Hot!”

“Oh, my _gosh_ , I am _so_ sorry, I just – I freaked out, and – oh, is there something I can…” Asahi stopped flailing his hands long enough to gather his thoughts. “Wait, no! Don’t take your shirt off! This is a public place, and it’s freezing!”

At this stage, they had attracted the attention of quite a few café-goers, something that pushed Asahi towards the idea of hiding under a table out of disgrace and pretending nothing had happened.

This Nishinoya however… He had no shame. He patted his torso down, checking his shorts for stray spots of coffee and putting his hands on his hips when he didn’t find any. “There we go. No harm done.”

Asahi apologised again, but he couldn’t help fumbling over his words as he realised that Nishinoya did not go to the gym to sit around and do crosswords.

 _He’s so small, but…?_ Asahi swallowed. _And that damn smile. Oh my god. Make him stop this._

“I told you, it’s okay.” Nishinoya laughed as Asahi clamped his jaw shut and forced his eyes onto a menu tacked to the wall beside them. “Accidents happen. I shouldn’t have touched your face out of nowhere.”

“No, that one’s on me.” Asahi tried to pull himself together but realised that didn’t do much good if you had the mental stability of a warm jelly cube. “Here, um use my jacket. No, wait it’s soaking, just…just, I don’t…”

Before he could stop himself, he’d pulled his own T-shirt off. “Take my shirt instead. I’ll wear my jacket. Problem solved.”

Now most of the café was staring at the two men who appeared to be stripping down in the middle of lunch. Asahi stung inside as a little part of him withered up and died, handing Nishinoya his shirt and making a grab for his jacket.

“Th-there. That’s better, right?” mumbled Asahi, tightening his coat over his bare torso even though the other customers were all looking away again. He looked up and was surprised to see Nishinoya had lapsed into silence for perhaps the first time since they’d met. He was staring at Asahi.

“I, uh… Yes. I… It’s good better. Very much,” he managed, locking eyes with the young man. “Let’s six pack down. I mean, sit back, sit back! God! Back at the table! Not your back! It’s a damn fine back, thou – wait, that was _not_ what I was—”

Asahi blinked and tautened his grip on his jacket as Nishinoya took a deep breath and sat down. He laughed again and ran a hand through his hair, shooting Asahi a flustered grin. “So, do you work out or what?” he asked.

 _That_ damn _smile._

“A bit.” Asahi sat down again as well, watching the waiter clean up the spilt coffee and apologising profusely. His white T-shirt was practically dripping off Nishinoya’s shoulders, he was that much smaller than Asahi. “Sorry about your shirt.”

“That’s like, the seven hundredth time you’ve apologised for something in the last half an hour,” stated Nishinoya.

Asahi caught himself before he could apologise for that.

“Anyway, you’re going to need this shirt back afterwards,” the young man continued.

“Nah, it’s fine.” Asahi flicked his wrist. “It’s not like it’s my favourite shirt or anything…”

In actuality, it was one of his favourites, but he hated the thought of inconveniencing someone he barely knew.

“Nope. I’ll bring it right back.” Nishinoya dug around in his pocket and pulled out a smartphone with a shattered screen. “What’s your number? I’ll call you.”

“Oh, um, sure.” Out came the Mini Monstrosity, Asahi’s useless excuse for an ancient Samsung flip screen cell. He read his number aloud and Nishinoya read it back, exchanging both their contacts.

“That’s that done and dusted,” decided Nishinoya. “I’ll call you and meet you up as soon as I get it cleaned. A couple of days, probably.”

“You don’t need to do that…”

“It’s the least I could do in return,” the young man replied. “After all, today was pretty rubbish before you showed up. Rainy days are nice, but they can suck too.”

Asahi nodded faintly in agreement as Nishinoya raked upwards through his spiked hair and smiled again.

_Why do you keep doing that? How can you not stop smiling? Is it a facial tic_ _?_

“Thanks for this! You’re a really great guy, Asahi.”

“N-Not really,” mumbled the taller man, rubbing his cheek self-consciously. “You’re much cooler than I am.”

“Don’t be daft. I’m just some crazy guy.” Nishinoya stood up. “One with your phone number. So, I’ll call you when I fix up your shirt. Thanks again!”

“That’s fine! Take care on your way.”

“Will do! Have a nice afternoon! Well, best you can in this weather…” he halted before going too far. “You have a really nice smile. You should do that more.”

With that, Nishinoya disappeared out the café door, leaving Asahi by himself in a dazed sort of happiness.

He looked at Nishinoya’s number on his phone screen and suddenly a couple of days seemed like much too long to wait to see that damn smile again.


End file.
